Loom having automatic bobbinchanging mechanism



June 22, 1 4 J. F. MOSELEY ET AL LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 23, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet l l vll INVEN FOR-$1 June 22, 1954 J. F. MOSELEY ET AL 2,681,656

LOQM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM Fi led April 23. 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 23, 1951 June 22, 1954 J; F. MOSELEY ETAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 y. w r N M N MW 3M M.

June 22, 1954 J. F. MOSELE-Y ET AL 2,681,666

LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM 7 Filed April 25, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 myEA/roas and fined June 22, 1954 J. F. MOSELEY ET AL 2,681,

LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 23, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 22, 1954 J. F. MOSELEY ET AL LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOBBIN-CHANGING MECHANISM Filed April 25, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 72

FIG. 11

i 'atented june 22,

LOOM HAVING AUTOMATIC BOl3BIN- CHANGING MECHANISM John Frederick Moseley and Frank Davies, Didsbury, Manchester, England, assignors to The British Cotton Industry Research Association, Didsbury, Manchester, England, a British association Application April 23, 1951, Serial No. 222,410

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 22, 1950 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to looms having automatic bobbin-changing mechanism and suction means for controlling and disposing of the tail ends.

As is well known, two such tail ends are created at each bobbin change and these are hereinafter termed the old end and the new end respectively.

The old end leads from the cloth selvedge to the shuttle eye cutter and results from severing the yarn of the old bobbin, which severing has to be eifected before the old bobbin is pressed from the shuttle by the new bobbin or substantially simultaneously therewith. After such severing, which is effected at and whilst the shuttle is in the shuttle box at the magazine end, the old end leading to the selvedge must be cut at the selvedge by the temple cutter and until and after such cutting at the selvedge, controlled to prevent it from being woven into the cloth. One known present arrangement includes an anvil and cutter for severing the yarn at the shuttle, thereby producing the old end, and a suction tube having a combined hook and mouth and movable into a transverse depression in the shuttle race so as to be in the path of the old end as the sley moves backwards and disposed so that the distance between the point of severance and the suction tube provides a sufficient length of old end adapted to be sucked in as soon as severance takes place at the selvedge. Thus the old end, while still attached to the selvedge is held by suction on such length in the tube until cutting at the selvedge is effected, when it is drawn away down the tube.

In other known arrangements a scissor-type cutter has been provided for effecting severance, instead of the anvil type cutter, the cutters being of the known kind adapted to hold as well as sever. Before the use of a pneumatic tube for removing such end the hold was maintained, with obvious advantage, until cutting was effected at the temple or selvedge, but when in a later arrangement a pneumatic tube was introduced, this was located near the selvedge and the holding type of cutter was not used, the end being drawn immediately into the tube and held only by the suction therein for presentation to the selvedge cutter.

A disadvantage of devices which operate near to the selvedge is that there is the serious danger of subsequent picks forming loops as a result of the presence of an additional mechanism near the selvedge.

As regards the new end, this is produced by the first pick of the shuttle with the new bobbin and extends from the selvedge to a holding device adjacent and usually beyond the magazine with which it has been engaged by the operator when loading the magazine. In one known present arrangement, the holding means consists of a suction tube into which the operator allows the end of the yarn from the bobbin to be drawn as it is loaded into the magazine. Thus, the new end is only held by suction, although it has also been proposed to insert into the suction system a device in which the ends, as they are collected, tend to entangle with each other, thereby increasing the hold. Devices, however, which rely on suction alone for removing all the ends, suffer the defect that entanglement may take place at position in the suction tube other than where it is designed to occur, thereby interfering with the capacity of the suction device to withdraw the new end immediately it has been out at the selvedge.

The object of the present invention is an improved method of and means for controlling and removing the old and new tail ends.

The present invention comprises the method of removing the old end wherein the weft thread extending from the eye of the shuttle to the selvedge of the cloth is severed adjacent to the shuttle eye, and the old end thus formed is, adjacent to the point of severance, both mechanically held and subjected to the continuous action of a pneumatic suction device, the mechanical hold being released only on the next bobbin change, whereby the old end is partly drawn into the suction device after either severance at the selvedge or release of the mechanical hold, and completely drawn into the suction device after both severance at the selvedge and release of the mechanical hold.

The invention further comprises in combination with the above defined method of removing the old end, the method of removing the new end wherein the end of the thread from each bobbin in the magazine is manually engaged by the operator with an anchorage device during loading of the bobbins into the magazine, and

wherein the thread extending between the said anchorage device and the bobbin which has been brought into position immediately prior to insertion into the shuttle, is brought under the influence of a suction device so as to be tensioned thereby and so that after transfer of the bobbin into the shuttle and after several picks have been inserted, the thus formed new end is cut at the selvedge and the free length of the new end is drawn into the suction device, and whereby for the first pick and until the end is so cut at the selvedge, the new end is anchored as well as pneumatically tensioned.

The invention also comprises apparatus for carrying out the method and combination method aforesaid. V

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the bobbin-changing mechanism side of a loom fitted with one ex-- ample of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention for removing the old and new ends only so much of themechanisni and loom being illustrated as is necessary for the understanding of the invention, and with the operative parts in the positions assumed on completion of a bobbin being pressed into the shuttle.

V Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. l, with the 2-stack bobbin magazine removed, but with one bobbin of each stack shown respectively in dotted and chain outline.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective View illus trating part of the loom and bobbin change mechanism and showing the disposition of the old and new ends immediately before severance of the old end and prior to bobbin change.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the disposition of the old and new ends during bobbin change.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the old and new ends immediately after change of the bobbin in the shuttle.

Fig. '7 shows how both the old and new ends are removed after severing has been effected by the selvedge cutter.

Figs. 8, 9, 1O, 11 and 12, are diagrammatic sectional views showing the scissor-gripper in a series of operative positions.

In the example illustrated by the drawings of apparatus for carrying out the improved methods of removing the old and new ends in a loom having an automatic bobbing changing mechanism, the magazine Hi and the mechanism for releaesing in sequence the bobbins ii stacked therein, together with the bobbin transfer mechanism for transferring each bobbin into the shuttle l2 are of known construction.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus for removing the old end comprises a cutting device [3 of the scissor-gripper type which serve not only to sever a thread but also retain a hold on one severed end. The cutting device has combined with it a suction nozzle l4, and is mounted on a plate-like member 55 slidably mounted in guides l6, [6 attached to the frame work I! of the loom. The guides are inclined to prevent breaking the old ends as the scissorgripper is returned to inoperative position whilst holding said end. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the scissor-gripper is shown in operative position i. e. extending through an aperture i8 in the wall i9 of the shuttle box and through an aperture or recess in the wall of the shuttle l2, but the scissor-gripper is normally held in the retracted or rest position as will be later described with reference to Figs. 8 to 12. In order to move the scissor-gripper in its guides to the operative position to sever the thread of the old bobbin before the new bobbin is pressed into the shuttle, use is made of the known bobbin transfer mechanism comprising oscillating shaft 2 i which has angular movement imparted to it when the bobbin in the shuttle is approaching exhaustion, and which has attached to it a radial arm 22 having a pin 23 at its outer end, said pin supporting a drop lever 24 pivoted at 25 to the lower end of one arm 26 of a bell-crank bobbin transfer hammer 2! pivoted at 28. As known during normal weaving the arm 22 is so positioned that the drop lever 24 is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 2 and its outer end is below the abutment 45 attached to the sley, and in this position the transfer hammer will be held up by its return spring 27a. Also attached to the oscillating shaft 2! is a smaller arm 2'! having a pin 28 at its outer end, said pin engaging the lower bifurcated end of a, leverZB pivoted at 38 and the upper end of said lever 29 is also bifurcated freely to embrace a pin 3| attached to the plate-like member E5.

The scissor-gripper 13 comprises two outer fixed blades or jaws 13a and a central movable blade or jaw I32), the latter having a cutting edge and a thread holding edge complementary to similar edges on the fixed blades, and relative movement of the blades to open the same for the purpose of engaging the thread extending from the shuttle in the shuttle box to the selvedge of the cloth and to close same to sever and hold the severed thread, is effected in sequence by a pivoted abutment member 32 located in the path of movement of the scissor-gripper, and by an adjustable stud 33 fixed to the sley 12a. The abutment 32 can only pivot in a clock wise direction (Fig. 2) as it is prevented from pivoting in the reverse direction by a stop pin 34. For the purpose of engaging the abutment 32 and stud 33, the pivotal blade I31): is provided with upper and lower extensions or projections E30 and I3d.

The suction nozzle H1 is located on the selvedge side of the scissor-gripper, so that when the latter severs and grips the thread extending between the shuttle and selvedge of the cloth, the thread will lie across the mouth of the nozzle and be tensioned thereby. The nozzle is attached to any convenient suction device (not shown) by a flexible pipe 35 (see Figs. 4 to 7).

In operation, and with particular reference to Figs. 4 to 12, during normal weaving the scissorgripper is in the retracted or rest position as indicated in Fig. 8, and the sley can move backwards and forwards without the stud 33 engaging the lower abutment I3d on each forward movement of the sley so that the scissor-gripper l3 remaining closed and holding by' one end the previously severed old end if, the major portion of which has been drawn into the suction device [4 (see Fig. 8). When the weft in the shuttle approaches exhaustion the weft feeler (not shown) operates to bring the new bobbin below the operative portion of the weft hammer, ready for transfer into the shuttle at a subsequent forward movement of the sley, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The weft feeler also operates to impart angular movement to the shaft 2 l, thereby lifting drop lever 24 so that its outer end lies in the path of abutment 25 and the lever 24, and also pivoting lever 29 so that the scissor-gripper is moved forward to the position shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 9. As will be seen from Fig. 9, during its forward movement, the scissor-gripper passes the pivoted abutment 32 and whilst passing the latter engages the upper extension 130 thereby pivoting the movable blade l3b to the open position. This opening movement releases the previously severed old end if and it is drawn into the suction device. When the sley moves forward to the position shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 10, the open scissor-gripper enters the shuttle box and shuttle through apertures I8 and 20, and the blades engage the thread extending from the shuttle eye to the selvedge of the cloth, and almost simultaneously the stud 33 engages the lower extension 1301 to close the blades of the scissor-gripper and sever the thread to form the new old end t whilst the abutment 45 engages the drop lever 24 to operate the transfer hammer and thus transfer a new bobbin into the shuttle and eject the old bobbin. The end of the old end t is gripped and held by the closed blades of the scissor-gripper and said end which is disposed across the mouth of the pneumatic suction device and tensioned thereby is so held either until the old end i is cut at the selvedge by the selvedge cutter 35 or until the next bobbin-change is efiected. If cutting at the selvedge takes place before the next bobbinchange the major portion of the thread is drawn into the said suction device as shown by Fig. 12 ready for being completely drawn into the suction device when the blades of the scissor-gripper are opened on the next forward movement thereof. If the bobbin-change is efiected before the old end and is cut at the selvedge, this end continues to be tensioned pneumatically until cut at the selvedge when it is completely removed by the suction device.

Immediately after transfer of a bobbin has been effected by the bobbin transfer mechanism, the parts thereof are re-set ready for the next operation, and the resetting movement thereof withdraws the scissor-gripper whilst still holding the old end t from the operative to the inoperative position. During such withdrawal movement, see Figs. 11 and 12, the abutment 32 is engaged by the extension I30 causing the abu ment to pivot to the dotted position 32a (Fig. 11) thus allowing the extension I30 to pass without operating on the blades.

When the scissors move from the cutting position to the normal rest position any possible slackening of the old end is taken-up by the tensioning efi'ect of the suction nozzle across the mouth of which the thread is positioned. Thus, except in the comparatively rare event of the next bobbin-change taking place before the old end is cut at the selvedge, as the old end is presented to the selvedge or temple cutter as weaving progresses, it is both mechanically held by the scissor-gripper and pneumatically tensioned by the suction device, giving the best conditions for effective operation of the selvedge cutter. Furthermore, as soon as the 01d end has been cut at the selvedge, the major portion of the old end is brought down into the nozzle and away from the selvedge, leaving exposed only a very short portion between the scissor-gripper and the nozzle end.

In the rare event aforesaid the opening of the scissor-gripper for such next bobbin-change will result in the short portion between the scissor-gripper and the nozzle end being drawn into the suction device which will hold such old 6 end tensioned until cut at the selvedge, whereupon the whole of the old end will be drawn into the suction device.

As regards the removal of the new ends, the bobbins I! to be used successively in the shuttle are stacked manually in the magazine l3, see Figs. 1 to '7, and their thread ends t are taken to an anchor 36 attached to the frame i? and which comprises a coiled spring whose convolutions are pressed together to impart a holding action on the threads placed therebetween. Adjacent said anchorage device and located between said device and the bobbin magazine is a further pneumatic suction device comprising a suction pipe 31 having a suction orifice 33, said device being attached to suction means (not shown) which may be the same as those for removing the old end. The orifice is so placed that the thread end t lies directly across the orifice only after the bobbin has reached the position immediately prior to being inserted in the shuttle.

lin operation, and with particular reference to Figs. 4 to 7 of the drawings, the thread t extending from the lowermost bobbin as it moves to the position below the transfer hammer as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is well within the sphere of influence of the suction orifice, and any slack which would otherwise occur as the lowermost bobbin is transferred to the shuttle is taken-up by said suction orifice as the thread is pneumatically tensioned as well as being positively held. This positive holding and pneumatic tensioning of the thread t is maintained during the first pick (see Fig. 6) and for several picks after transfer has taken place until the thread is cut by the selvedge cutter 35, whereupon the major portion of the new end t thus formed. is drawn into the suction orifice 38 as illustrated in Fig. '7. At intervals, the weaver can release the new ends 25 attached to the anchorage so that they disappear down the suction orifice, or alternatively the weaver can remove them manually.

By the means above described the previous need for entanglement of the new ends is obviated, and the ends are at all times so manipulated and controlled that they are never fouled by the operative parts of the loom or the bobbin transfer mechanism.

While the new end removing device is preferably used in combination with the old end removing device, it could be used separately.

What we claim is:

In a loom having automatic bobbin-changing mechanism and a thread cutter located at the selvedge of the cloth being woven, apparatus for removing the old end, comprising means of the scissor-gripper type for severing, adjacent the shuttle eye, the thread extending from the shuttle to the selvedge of the cloth to produce the old end means for mechanically holding said old end; a pneumatic suction device having a nozzle and arranged on the side of said holding means nearer to the selvedge, both said holding means and said suction device being adjacent to the point of severance, said severing means being mounted on the nozzle of the pneumatic suction device and positioned to engage the thread extending from the shuttle to the selvedge; and means for releasing said mechanical hold on the next bobbin change, whereby the old end is partly drawn into the pneumatic suction device after either cutting by the selvedge cutter or release of the mechanical hold, and is completely drawn into the suction device after both cutting at the selvd e and release of the mechanical hold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 1,035,213 McCaslin Aug. 13, 1912 1,041,882 Ryon Oct. 22, 1912 1,212,681 Rhoades Jan. 16, 1917 1,220,667 McGuiness Mar. 27, 1917 Number 8 ,6 Name Date Northrop -2---- July 81, 1923 Talbot Jan. 22, 1935 Payne July 9, 1940 Brown Feb. 11, 1941 Hewtqn July 29, 1941 Turner Nov. 11, 1941 Turner Aug. 17, 1943 Turner Mar. 4, 1947 

